Labor Day at the Lake

It has to be one of my favorite places to spend time with family. It's out at the lake.

The Saturday of Labor Day weekend we went out to Okauchee Lake to celebrate the holiday with tons of family. My great aunt and my godparents live on the lake, only one house between them. We went between houses for food, fun, and just to enjoy the company. There must have been 40-50 of us in all. From first to third cousins all enjoying the day. And although I wish we saw each other more than the handful of times a year that we do, the conversation is always easy. The kids have such a great time together...the rope swing, the trampoline, not to mention the licorice straws. Who's great idea was that?

Thanks for having us Jeff, Kathy, and Auntie Florence, it was an incredible day.

Kindergarten...Here I Come

This was a big one. I've been through lots of milestones before with this guy...first smile, first word, first step. But somehow, the events of this week seemed bigger to me. On Tuesday, September 1st, Joe started kindergarten. I've had almost six years to get ready for this day, yet when the last shoelace was tied that morning, I felt a little incomplete. Maybe I should just tag along for the day...no one would really mind, and he might just need me for something. No, no...this was his day to shine. His day to show us that all he's been taught up until now has paid off and he's ready for this awesome journey to begin. One of those times when your heart and mind aren't quite on the same page.

Jason and I both took the day off, and it was a nice morning at home. Banana bread for breakfast, dressed, and outside for pictures in plenty of time to catch the bus. We were a little worried about how things on the bus would go, and we tried to prepare Joe for all possible scenarios. He's the second to last stop, which means that the bus is pretty full by the time it gets to our house. He went up the steps just fine, but then froze when he looked out onto all of those faces. After what seemed like forever, a nice little girl finally moved over for him to sit down. Whew. He did it. We hopped in the van and raced over to school so that we could see him get off and stand in line with all of the other kids in his class and his teacher (Mrs. Scoby). If you ask Joe how to say her name, he'll tell you that "it's not Scooby"...but rather the O is long. After the last one got off the last bus, they followed their teacher into the building to begin the day. The parents met in the cafeteria for a "champagne and kleenex" breakfast. The principal thinks that more parents want champagne to celebrate the kids going back, so funny. We spent most of the rest of the day wondering what he was doing and looking forward to the bus bringing him safely home at 4.

He got home right on time, and was so excited to see us all...but Kate especially. He picked her up, hugged her, and spun her around. And they were off to play. In the days that have followed, she repeats "miss Joe, miss Joe" from the moment he gets on the bus and throughout the day until she sees him again. She'll get used to it I'm sure...but will I?